Following a sold-out run in London’s West End, Russia’s Vakhtangov State Academic Theater makes a triumphant return to Toronto with its award-winning production of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya.

The joy of the production lies in its total-theatre mix of words, music, mime and symbolism…nothing looks or sounds as we expect.
– The Guardian

The classic tale is a story of characters caught between tradition and transformation, personal isolation and communal action, the lure of love and the security of duty. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Chekhov’s masterpiece lays bare the characters’ passions, hopes, and desires with warmth and poignancy. Chekhov’s work is set in 19th-century Russia but remains relevant today as a deeply human story of dashed dreams, thwarted love, and eternal longing.

This production preserves every word of Chekhov’s text but doesn’t look or sound as you’d expect. Done in the style of Russian director Vsevolod Meyerhold, who evolved a system of acting based on physical expression, it’s a mix of words, music, and mime.

Featuring a cast of Russia’s most acclaimed actors Sergey Makovetskiy, Liudmila Maksakova, and Vladimir Simonov, and directed by Director Rimas Tuminas, it’s a totally fresh take. The production is the winner of the Golden Mask award (Russia’s equivalent of the Tony Awards) and not to be missed!

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Estimated Run Time:

3 hr 30 min

A Vakhtangov Theatre production presented by Show One Productions in association with Luminato